GUEST BIO

Dennis and Candace Gaines:Miracle Baby

By
The 700 Club

NO FETAL CARDIAC ACTIVITY
Candace and Dennis tried for years to have more children. They had 2 but wanted a house full. They experienced heartache and disappointment when Candace had 2 miscarriages. They were excited when she was pregnant again until the first weekend in August, 2007, when Candace was 8 weeks pregnant. She started bleeding and went to the emergency room. The lab work showed the hormone levels for pregnancy were low and the heart beat had dropped significantly. She was sent home and told that there was nothing they could really do. She was ordered to rest and call the doctor on Monday.

At the doctor’s office, an ultrasound was done that showed the previously-beating heart was still and silent. Their obstetrician, Dr. Terryberry, told them their baby had more than likely died over the weekend. Dennis asked for a second opinion. Dr. Terryberry was glad to grant them that request and scheduled an appointment for a few days later.

That day, another ultrasound was done by the radiology department. The report read, “No heart motion. Consistent with fetal demise.” In other words, the baby was dead. Doctors confirmed that there was no fetal cardiac activity. An appointment was set up for Monday, August 13, to discuss the removal of the fetus and remains of the pregnancy. Over the weekend, Dennis and Candace prayed and asked God to give back their child. They stood on Scriptures they felt the Lord had given them. They called church, family, Regent students, faculty and The 700 Club for prayer. On Monday, they arrived at the doctor’s office confident that they would see miraculous results. Dr. Terryberry was patient and very understanding of their request for another ultrasound.

BELIEVING FOR A MIRACLE
They went back, faith held high, believing that they would see the heart beating. They were ready for rejoicing. Instead, there was no heartbeat and not only that, the test showed that a small pool of blood had formed under the amniotic sac which indicated that it was separating on its own due to the death of the baby. Candace’s body was preparing to expel the baby. Dennis still felt that God was going to do a miracle. They went home again with instructions to think on what procedure they wanted to use to remove the baby. On Friday, August 17, they went back. Dennis asked for one last ultrasound. The notes read: “Confirm no heartbeat, one last time before deciding what to do”.

As Dr. Terryberry began to do the test, Candace looked away from the monitor. Dennis sat across the room. “Oh my goodness!” exclaimed Dr. Terryberry. “Dennis! Come and look! There it is! It is not Candace’s heart beating, it is the baby’s!!!” The excitement was electric. Dennis and Candace were in shock and praised the Lord. Baby Grace’s heart was beating 141 beats per minute!!! She was alive and well. Candace stepped out of the room to an office full of applause. Grace Almez Gaines was born April 2, 2008, weighing 9 pounds 8 ounces and measuring 22 inches long. Doctors could not explain it. “There was no backpeddling,” says Dennis. “They didn’t even try to explain what happened.”

Dennis and Candace met while they were both officers in the U.S. Navy. They dated for 10 months and got married at Oceana Naval Base in 1998. They enjoyed their professional careers but after Dennis survived the USS Cole bombing in Yemen in 2000, they decided that Candace would resign and focus on their family. Dennis has also left active naval service.